I must have gone on a bad day for the staff but SO MANY things are wrong I removed this restaurant from my blog! AVOID MOM’s TAMALES and tell your friends to not put their health at risk.

Frozen vs. precooked tamales are $18 cash (instead of $20). No big savings there. The cost of making this failure right – DOUBLE.

I placed a phone order the day before and when I went to pick them up at the time they said the order would be ready, I had to wait 25 minutes while they assembled my order. Really? Calling ahead wasn’t enough advanced noticed? No instructions came with the tamales. If I had not reviewed the website I would not know that they took more than an hour to steam.

Tamales are handed to you in a plastic bag each wrapped in foil. You cannot microwave steam them, since the foil is not just wrapped on the outside but TUCKED into the corn husks. YOU CANNOT remove the foil before steaming. Each handmade tamale I have ever had came in a waxed/parchment paper which freezes and microwaves easily. The tamales were less than 4 inches long, open on one end and NOT completely wrapped in corn husks. They are not plump and tasty, they are skinny and look unprepared. Runts. My tamales were all runts. When you steam these tamales IF you are able to not break a nail pealing foil off, the MEAT AND SAUCE oozes out, IS MINGLED WITH FOIL and ends up coating the inside of your steamer.

I ordered three of 4 different kinds. The Sweet tamales with pineapple disintegrated into pulp – inedible PULP. The cheese with spinach spewed cheesy goo all over the inside of my steamer. The chicken mole were tasty but not plump. The beef were average.

I was so frustrated and disgusted that I went to In and Out and count myself lucky that I had real food to eat.

Perhaps the dine in experience is better.

The health department will be hearing from me about their take-out, to go food preparation! I am truly sorry I suggested it on my blog. http://momstamales.com/ RUN FAR AWAY!

Today, a co-wacko and I were talking about where I could score some homemade tamales for Christmas. She didn’t know a resource but she knew someone who might. Having tamales as my contribution to Christmas dinner with my sweetheart’s family is my idea of a good thing! And that conversation at work got me talking with another co-wacko who highly recommended Mom’s Tamales (see link above) later in the afternoon.

You may have seen Mom’s, this hole-in-the-wall treasure, on an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on Food Network. Sitting at lunch today I quickly scoped this place out on Foursquare, located the menu, address and phone number (323) 226-9383.

Mom’s offers several tamales to tempt you: Pork, Beef, Chicken, Cheese or try some of their specialties: Chicken with Mole, Cheese with Spinach, or a sweet tamal with pineapple. Yow! Buying them frozen to steam later (for 1 hour, 15 minutes) will save you $2 per dozen. Mix and match.

Remember it’s cash only, they close their doors at 4:00 pm and checking in on Foursquare will make it more visible to other tamale lovers seeking a source for handmade tamales. Mom’s Tamales & Mexican Food, 3328 Pasadena Ave, Los Angeles CA, 90031

If tamales for Christmas are not something you have time to make, try some love from Mom’s instead.

The rainy weather in Los Angeles this weekend prompted me to drive more cautiously and to think about casseroles – well, not in that order, but you understand. Truly, there is nothing more comforting after a long day of trying to create holiday cheer in the office (event planning and gift wrapping) than to arrive home and find a hot soothing casserole and a glass of wine waiting for you. Here are two recipes to boost the comfort in your comfort food this December. I am reminded of my childhood favorite we called “Ussi Souffle” – a cheese and egg casserole inspired by a Danish neighbor. I might post that recipe at a later time.

Eight Layer Casserole

Makes 8 servings in 2-quart square baking dish

30 minutes prep, bake 55 minutes, 10 minutes to stand before serving

Ingredients:

3 cups dried medium noodles (6 oz)

1 pound ground beef

2 8 oz cans tomato sauce

1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 8 oz sour cream

1 8 oz cream cheese, softened

½ cup milk

1/3 cup chopped onion (1 small)

1 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, cooked and well drained

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 oz)

Directions:

Grease a 2-quart casserole or a 2-quart square baking dish; set aside. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl beat together the sour cream and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in milk and onion. In prepared casserole or baking dish, layer half of the noodles (about 2 cups), half of the meat mixture (about 1 1/2 cups), half of the cream cheese mixture (about 1 cup), and all of the spinach. Top with the remaining meat mixture and noodles. Cover and chill remaining cream cheese mixture until needed.

Cover casserole or baking dish with lightly greased foil. Bake in 350 degree F oven about 45 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; spread with remaining cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Alternate: Prepare as directed through Step 3. Cover with lightly greased foil and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; spread with remaining cream-cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.Bake, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before baking.

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the lamb, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and mint. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

For the sauce: Simmer the milk and cream over medium heat in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheese and whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the yogurt.

Add the meat sauce to the pasta and toss well until the noodles are coated. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Spoon the cheese sauce evenly on top and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped mint if using, and serve.

— Ground lamb can often be quite greasy. If your meat seems to be swimming in oil after you’ve browned it, pour the fat off into a small dish before proceeding to the next step in the recipe.

— When you cook the pasta, make sure to stop just shy of al dente. Because this dish gets baked, this prevents the noodles from dissolving into mush during their time in the oven.

— This dish calls for a ton of mint. If your mint plants have died back for the season or you can’t afford the grocery store prices, use baby spinach instead. Simply chop it fine and stir it in. It won’t be quite as authentic, but you’ll still get your greens.

— I like to serve this casserole with a giant green salad to balance out its richness. Should you want to keep all the components of the meal warm, however, a pan of softened kale with garlic is also nice.

Directions:
Heat a medium, heavy-bottom pot over medium heat until hot. Add the oil, then add the carrots, onions, bell pepper, thyme and barley. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden-brown, about 18 minutes, taking care that the barley does not burn.
Stir in the vegetable broth and marinara. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Cook until the barley is al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and zucchini, and season to taste with salt and pepper (the amount of seasoning needed will vary depending on the vegetable broth and marinara used). Cover and continue to simmer until the mushrooms and zucchini are just tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
Remove from heat, thin if desired, and season again to taste, and serve. This makes about 2 1/2 quarts of soup.

Let’s start first with the food in recipes, then explore the intersection of discovery with La Cocina, a Bay Area nonprofit cultivating food entrepreneurs.

Atole is a traditional masa-based Mexican and Central hot drink. Chocolate atole is known as Champurrado or atole. It is typically accompanied with tamales, and very popular during the Christmas holiday season (Las Posadas).

Atole

Ingredients:

1/3 cup masa harina blended with 1/4 cup warm water in blender

3 cups water

5 tablespoons brown sugar or piloncillo

1 pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick

2 teaspoons vanilla or one one vanilla bean

Directions:

Heat all ingredients (except for any toppings you may be using) in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat while stirring. Bring to a simmer and continue to stir frequently for 20-25 minutes until thickened. If used, remove the cinnamon stick and/or vanilla bean. Pour into mugs or thick glasses. Warm fruit puree in a small saucepan and drizzle on top of Atole. Serves 2-3

Champurrado (Mexican Hot Chocolate)

Yield: 6 (4-ounce) servings

Ingredients:

3 cups of water

2 cinnamon sticks

1 anise star

¼ cup masa harina

2 cups milk

½ disk Mexican chocolate, chopped (Abuelita or Ibarra chocolate)

3 ounces piloncillo, chopped or 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

In a large saucepan boil water with the two cinnamon sticks and anise star. Remove from the heat, cover and let the cinnamon sticks and anise star steep for about 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and anise star, return to low heat and slowly add the masa harina to the warm water, whisking until combined. Add milk, chocolate, and piloncillo.

Heat over medium heat just until boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted and sugar is dissolved, whisking occasionally. Serve immediately.

This holiday, give the gift of food with Holiday Gift Boxes or a gift certificate for classes http://www.lacocinasf.org/classes-workshops/. Your purchase does create opportunity and contribute to the success of local aspiring entrepreneurs in the Bay Area.

The mission of La Cocina is to cultivate low-income food entrepreneurs as they formalize and grow their businesses by providing affordable commercial kitchen space, industry-specific technical assistance and access to market and capital opportunities. We focus primarily on women from communities of color and immigrant communities. Our vision is that entrepreneurs will become economically self-sufficient and contribute to a vibrant economy doing what they love to do.

San Francisco’s First Incubator Kitchen

La Cocina is a ground-breaking business incubator designed to reduce the obstacles that often prevent entrepreneurs from creating successful and sustainable small businesses. By providing shared resources and an array of industry-specific services, business incubators ensure small businesses can succeed. La Cocina follows this model by providing commercial kitchen space and technical assistance focusing on low-income women and immigrant entrepreneurs who are launching, growing and formalizing food businesses.

Breaking Down Barriers

The food industry has a notoriously high cost of entry: the fees for licensed and insured commercial kitchen space, the start-up costs to open a restaurant, the standards set to compete for shelf space at specialty stores and large retailers. Such restrictive barriers to entry often discourage burgeoning food entrepreneurs from launching a business. Those who do, face an uphill battle for success in an overwhelming and incredibly crowded marketplace.

La Cocina provides a platform for these motivated entrepreneurs to hone their skills and successfully transition into the highly regulated and competitive food industry.

The Story of La Cocina

La Cocina (pronounced la co-see-nah, meaning “The Kitchen” in Spanish) was inspired by its current home, San Francisco’s Mission District. (2011 La Cocina 2948 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 | 415-824-2729 | info@lacocinasf.org | www.lacocinasf.org) It is located in an ethnically diverse and economically vulnerable neighborhood that thrives in part due to the many small informal businesses that serve the community. As is the case in many cities, food lies at the heart of this community, and you don’t have to look far to find hidden entrepreneurs in the kitchens of many homes.

Recognizing a need to formalize these food businesses and the opportunity created when you turn inconsistent and illegal home restaurants into sustainable legal businesses, organizations like Arriba Juntos, The Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment and The Women’s Foundation of California and one very special and visionary anonymous donor created La Cocina. La Cocina is both the space-a modern building and commercial kitchen that has been featured in Metropolis Magazine—and the program—an innovative business incubator that supports a growing roster of small businesses, including:

Hot Mulled Cider Recipe

1 Pour apple cider into a 3-quart saucepan, cover, turn the heat on medium-high. While cider is heating up, take a vegetable peeler and peel away a couple thick strips of peel from the orange. Press about half of the cloves into the peeled part of the orange. (You can also just quarter the orange and add the slices and cloves separately. I just like seeing the orange bob up and down.) Place orange, orange peel strips, the remaining cloves, and the rest of the ingredients into the sauce pan with the cider. Keep covered and heat the mulled cider mixture to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.

2 Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the hot mulled cider away from the orange, cloves, and other spices. If you want, you can add a touch of bourbon, brandy, or rum to spike it up a bit. Serve hot. Add a cinnamon stick to each cup if desired.

In a large bowl, stir together potatoes, onions, eggs, matzah meal, and salt. Line a baking sheet with two layers of paper towels. Heat enough oil to reach a depth of about 1/4-inch in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Form potato mixture into 3-inch round latke, and fry in batches until browned and crisp, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared pan. Continue making latkes with remaining mixture. Meanwhile, combine vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to simmer, and cook until reduced and thickened,
about 10 to 12 minutes. To assemble, place each latke on an appetizer plate. Top with one slice mozzarella, one slice tomato, and a leaf or small sprig of basil. Garnish with a drizzle of reduced balsamic, some olive oil, and pepper to taste.

Visit their site at www. alinearestaurant.com, or better still, visit the restaurant, located in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago, 1723 North Halsted. No walk-in dining options. All dining must be ticketed. Although tickets are transferrable, they are nonrefundable. Chicago, home to many fine restaurants including Henri, EL Ideas, Acadia, Everest, L20, Moto, Naha, and Schwa among others, is a destination where chefs and foodies pilgrimage. Even aspiring locations, like Goosefoot, make their mark with innovative combinations and redefining American (new) cuisine. Alinea brings the dining experience to a new level as artform/performance.

If you can’t secure your New Year’s reservation… TICKETING – which opened Nov 7 – you can still purchase the cookbook, Alinea on Amazon. Since dining, food, and art are fused at this restaurant, it would make sense that it is more suited for coffee table than kitchen as a cookbook.

“A pioneer in American cuisine, chef Grant Achatz represents the best of the molecular gastronomy movement–brilliant fundamentals and exquisite taste paired with a groundbreaking approach to new techniques and equipment. ALINEA showcases Achatz’s cuisine with more than 100 dishes (totaling 600 recipes) and 600 photographs presented in a deluxe volume. Three feature pieces frame the book: Michael Ruhlman considers Alinea’s role in the global dining scene, Jeffrey Steingarten offers his distinctive take on dining at the restaurant, and Mark McClusky explores the role of technology in the Alinea kitchen. Buyers of the book will receive access to a website featuring video demonstrations, interviews, and an online forum that allows readers to interact with Achatz and his team.”

[http://www.amazon.com/Alinea-Grant-Achatz/dp/1580089283]

If visiting Alinea’s website to buy tickets for your first dining “event” at Alinea proves to be fruitless, I can share some online advice from fellow California foodie, Kim T. of Tustin, CA:

“Tip: Stalk their facebook page for “day-of” openings. We were able to snag a 2-seater for prime-time that night. Btw, our table could have easily seated 4 people so it depends on the luck of the draw. I guess we were really lucky.”

Don’t let the deadlines, headlines or stress mess with your gratitude. We all have a lot to be thankful for. Here’s some Thanksgiving recipes and treats to inspire you! Please feel free to repost and share…just let me know what time dinner is served and I’ll be there!